The document outlines the agenda for a workshop on using blogs as a teaching tool, including an introduction to blogs, a hands-on session to help teachers create their own blog, and a discussion of resources for educational blogging. The agenda covers various aspects of setting up and using blogs in the classroom, and provides examples of existing educational blogs. Links are also included for blog creation platforms and other technologies that can be used with blogs.

1. Blogs:
A Web 2.0 Teaching Tool
Facilitator: Reba Gordon Matthews
Site Ed. Tech
Johnson Magnet School

2. 2
Classroom Blogs: A Web 2.0 Teaching Tool
Hands-On Workshop
Link: http://157staffdevblog.blogspot.com/
Short Link: http://bit.ly/lxZtZg
Agenda
January 25, 2011
Before Workshop Tasks Sign-up for the Blogging Tools
Identify yourself as a Novice or Proficient Tech User (On Laptop)
Blue Sticky – Novice Yellow Sticky – Proficient
Think of a name for your blog
1:30 – 1:40 Workshop Goals and Objectives
(Optional) Follow Along “Online” on the 157 Staff Dev Blog
1:40 – 1:50 Description of Workshop Format:
Facilitating the Workshop from a Blog
1:50 - 2:10 What is a Blog? Why Blog?
Videos:
What is a Blog – CommonCraft (3 min)
Blogger – BloggerHelp (3 min)
Quick Show of other Educational Blogs (see blog sidebar)
Review (2) of R. Matthews’ Blogs & Parts (see blog sidebar)
Learn the parts of a blog & how they work
2:10 -2:30 “Create Your Blog in 5 minutes Flat”
2:30 – 3:15 Hands-On Blogging Workshop
3:00 – 3:20 Workshop Accountability:
• Collecting the “urls” of teachers’ blogs – Reba
3:20 – 3:30 Showcase some of the New (in progress) Johnson Blogs
Student Blogging Info Video: (if time)
KidBlog.org – (3min)
3:20 – 3:30 Debrief / Questions

3. 3
Blog Workshop Resource Links
Google: http://www.google.com
Blogger- General Blog: (Step One)
http://www.blogger.com/
Blogger in Draft – (if you want pgs in blog) – (Step 2)
Proficient Users (optional)
http://draft.blogger.com
Reba Gordon Matthews’ Blogs:
Workshop Blog:
“157 Staff Development Blog”
http://157staffdevblog.blogspot.com/
Short Link: http://bit.ly/lxZtZg
Professional Blog:
“Techie Lab Teacher Blogspot”
http://techielabteacher.blogspot.com/
Short Link: http://bit.ly/eR0GcT
Classroom Blog:
“Project Research Lab Blog”
http://msaplab.blogspot.com/
Short Link: http://bit.ly/l6wh8I
School Blog:
“Johnson Magnet School Blog”
http://msap4jms.blogspot.com/
Short Link: http://bit.ly/eEU244

4. 4
Blog Workshop Resource Links (cont.)
Reba Gordon Matthews’ Blogs: (cont.)
Kidblog.org (work in progress) Kid Safe & Friendly Blogging Area
Test Blog Area:
http://kidblog.org/TestClassroom/
Short Link: http://bit.ly/fjl4MB
Research Lab Blog Area (Grades 3 -5)
Short Link: http://bit.ly/stemblog
Blogging Objects and Embedding Resources
Voki: Talking voice character or avatar
http://www.voki.com/create.php
issuu:
Online service that turns your uploaded docs into a polished magazine-like format.
http://issuu.com/home
SlideShare:
Online service where users can upload and share publicly or privately PowerPoint
presentations, Word documents and Adobe PDF documents.
http://www.slideshare.net/
AuthorStream: Online platform for sharing PowerPoint presentations on the Internet.
Allows you to download them as videos. Also keeps the animation feature active in the
presentation.
http://www.authorstream.com/
Blogging Objects and Embedding Resources (cont.)
Bit.ly: Shortens your links and you can share them w/others easier
http://bit.ly/
VoiceThread: Transforms pictures, docs, video into a collaborative space with video, voice,
and text comments
http://voicethread.com/

5. 5
Blog Workshop Resource Links (cont.)
Blogging Objects and Embedding Resources (cont.)
Example of a VoiceThread on my blog: “The 5-Step Writing Process”
Link:
http://techielabteacher.blogspot.com/2011/01/5-step-writing-
process.html
Short Link: http://bit.ly/hvdrvX
Other Blogging Resources
BES Blogs – Parent Info on Blogging
Berthoud Elementary School in Berthoud, Colorado
http://blogs.berthoudelementary.com/parents/
Other Educational Classroom Blogs
Miss McMillian’s Blog
http://mcmillan.wordpress.com/
Creative Cougar
http://creativecougar.blogspot.com/
Blog Dogs
http://hccweb2.org/3s2010/
Mrs. Cassidy’s Classroom Blog
Kndg – 1st Grade Class Blog
http://classblogmeister.com/blog.php?blogger_id=1337

6. 6
Blog Workshop Resource Links (cont.)
EXCELLENT Technology Resource Blog
Free Technology 4 Teachers by Richard Bryne
http://www.freetech4teachers.com/
Edublog Winner for:
Best Individual Blog
Best Resource Sharing Blog
Best Educational Tech Support Blog
Edublog Teacher Challenge: –
30 Day Online Blogging Prof. Dev. (Complete tasks at your own pace)
Link: http://teacherchallenge.edublogs.org/challenges/
Shorten Link: http://bit.ly/g0n1G4
2010 Edublog Awards: Leaders in the Web 2.0 Tech Arena
(blogs, webinars, podcasting, wiki, virtual worlds, video, tech support,
PLNs – Personal Learning Networks, etc.)
Link:
http://edublogawards.com/announcing-the-2010-edublog-awards-
winners/
Shorten Link: http://bit.ly/gkdMiL